Sony’s PlayStation 3D TV finds a launch date

Of all the video game publishers, none has been more bullish on 3D than Sony. Most of the company's original titles for the PlayStation 3 this year will be 3D enabled – and the company previously announced plans for a 3D starter set for players who were on the fence about the technology.

After a lot of dodging, Sony has finally unveiled the launch date for that set: Nov. 13. The 24-inch display will be bundled with one set of active 3D glasses, a six foot HDMI cable and (for those who preordered the device) a copy of the upcoming "Resistance 3" (others will get a copy of "MotorStorm Apocalypse"). It will retail for $499.

"Our commitment to 3D is unwavering, and we're adding more content all the time," said Jack Tretton, president of Sony Computer Entertainment America said at the E3 trade show in June.

To really capture gamer interest, the set will allow two people playing a co-op version of the same game to see full screen images, instead of the truncated, split screen view players have become accustomed to.

The set is aimed squarely at college students and people who want to dip their toes into the 3D waters – and combined with the lineup of games featuring the technology, Sony is pretty confident that demand is about to spike for these sorts of titles.

"3D gaming is on the verge of completely taking off," says Tretton. "I think it’s a very similar analogy to HD. … Content will drive adoption."

To date, there hasn't been a lot of evidence suggesting 3D is about to take off. Nintendo bet big on glasses-free 3D with the 3DS, but sales haven't been particularly robust, even with a $70 price cut for that system. But the industry is counting on the fact that when it comes to early adoption of the latest gadgets, there's no better test audience than gamers.

"Gamers are usually technology adopters," says Tretton. "They're the first to go out and buy new tech. They played a big role in the adoption of Blu-ray. They played a big role in the adoption of high definition. And they will play a big role in the adoption of in 3D."